Coupling for straight-edges.



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No. 735,060; P'ATBNTED AUGA, 1903. H. BOUSSEMAERB...

COUPLING FOR STRAIGHT" EDGES.

APPLIGATION FILED MAY 4* 1903.

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No. 735.060. PATBNTED AUG. 4, 1903.

- H. BOUSSEMAERE.

COUPLING FOR STRAIGHT EDGBS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 4, 1903.

N0 MODEL. 3 SHEETB-8HEET 3.'

UNITED STATES Patented August 4, 1903.

HYPPOLITE BOUSSEMAERE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

COUPLING FOR STRAlGHT-EDGES.

'EPECIFICAIION forming part of Letters Patent No. 735,060, dated August4, 1903.

Application filed May 4, 1903. Serial No. 155,512. (No model.)

To all whom it nuty concern:

Be it known that I, HYPPOLITE BoUssE- MAERE, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inCouplings for Straight-Edges, of which the following is a full, clear,concise, and exact description.

My invention relates to a mechanical coupling; and its object is ingeneral to provide improved means whereby two bars or members may beeasily and quickly joined together end to end, so as to form, in efiect,a single solid piece, but in such a manner that they may be quicklyuncoupled when desired.

My invention is applicable more particularly to straight-edges such asare used by paper-hangers. These straightedges are usually about sevenfeet long, and are consequently very unhandy to carry about. They have,however, usually been made in one piece, because of the difficulty inmaking a joint by which two pieces could be firmly held together end toend in exact alinement. It has been my object in particular to providesuch a joint or coupling, and I will describe the same by reference tothe accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 illustrates astraight-edge made in two parts or members joined together end to end inaccordance with my invention. Fig. 2 shows the two members of thecoupling in position to be joined together, the outer plates beingremoved to disclose the mechanism and one of the inner plates beingshown partially broken away for the same purpose. Fig. 3 is a viewsimilar to Fig. 2, but showing the two members coupled and lockedtogether. The plate covering the locking bolts, which was shownpartially broken away in Fig. 2, is entirely removed in Fig. 3. view online 4: 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a crosssectional view on line 5 5 of Fig.3; and Fig. 6 illustrates the several disassembled parts of one of themembers of the coupling, these 1 parts being shown one above the otherto indicate their relations to one another.

The same letters of reference are used to designate the same partswherever they are shown.

Fig. 4. is a longitudinal sectional' The straight-edge shown in Fig. lis made in two parts or members a b, which may be of wood, provided withthe coupling of my invention by which the two sections may be firmlyjoined together end to end, as shown. The member a is provided with twoprojecting tongues c c at its end, which are adapted to enter sockets I)b, respectively, in the member I? when the two members are broughttogether end to end. The inner faces of the tongues c c are recessed atc c, as shown, to provide shoulders against which the lockingbolts ofthe other member may engage. The tongues 0 care preferably madein onepiecethat is, they are the projecting ends of a U- shaped bar which ismounted snugly in the end of the member a in such a manner as to slidelongitudinally therein to some extent without turning angularly. Strongsprings 01 61 may be provided to hold the U-shaped bar securely againstits seat. The tongues c c are thus capable of being slightly extended ifthe pull on them is sufficiently'strong to overcome the tension ofsprings cl d.

The locking-slide e is arranged to slide to and fro in the member I) ofthe coupling, the forward portion of said lock occupying the spacebetween the sockets b b in position to fit between the inserted tonguesc c of the other member. Said locking-slide e carries locking-bolts ff,which are arranged to slide crosswise therein. Normally said bolts areheld flush with the edges of the locking-slide, so that the tongues c 0may be inserted in the sockets until the recesses c c register with theends of the bolts ff. When the bolts ff are advanced, they enter therecesses c c of the inserted tongues to lock said tongues againstwithdrawal. I also provide means whereby the entire locking-slide 6 maybe retracted within the member I) to pull the tongues farther into thesockets b 1) against the tension of springs d d, whereby the two membersof the coupling are held'together. The part c is arranged to he slid toand fro in the framework'of the member 17 by means of a rotatable cam oreccentric g, which is mounted to rotate in said framework, the eccentricportion of the cam-piece being arranged to engage a block h, mounted toslide in the frame of the locking-slide e. The cam-piece g is providedwith an' angular hole in its axis,

. lift into which a suitable key may be inserted to turn thecam andoperate the lock. The bolts ffof the locking-slide are normally heldretracted by springs k, as shown in Fig. 2. The rear ends of said bolts,however, are provided with beveled edges,which are adapted to slide onthe inclined surfaces of a wedge-shaped lug 1, carried by the frameworkof the memher 6. When the cam-piece g is rotated to retract the slide e,the beveled edges of the bolts f f, carried by said slide, are engagedby the wedge-surfaces of the lug Z, whereby the bolts are forced apartand thrust outwardly into the sockets b b'that is, into the recesses c cof the tongues c c-when said tongues are inserted.

Fig. 2 shows the two members in position to be coupled, and Fig. 3 showsthem locked together, the eccentric having been turned to retract thelocking-slide e. The parts should be constructed to fit closely to oneanother, so that there may be no undue lost motion.

It will be appreciated that by means of the coupling above described thetwo members a b may be quickly and securely fastened together end to endin perfect alinement by bringing them together with the eccentric in theposition shown in Fig.2 and then turning the eccentric to draw the twoparts tightly together. It will be understood that the form of the partsmay be modified without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim 1. In a mechanical coupling, the combination with the twomembers adapted to abut against each other end to end, of a recessedlocking-tongue carried by one member, the other member having asocketadapted to receive said tongue, a locking-slide arranged to movelongitudinally in the socketed member, a bolt sliding crosswise in saidlockingslide, adapted to engage the recessed portion of thelocking-tongue of the other member, means for advancing the bolt toengage the tongue as the locking-slide is retracted, and a cam adaptedto reciprocate said lockingslide.

2. The combination with two bars ab adapted to abut against each otherend to end, of a pair of recessed locking-tongues 00 carried by onemember, the other member having sockets adapted to receive said tongues,a locking-slide arranged to slide longitudinally in the socketed member,said locking-slide carrying bolts ff arranged to slide crosswise in thelocking-slide in position to engage the recessed portions of thelocking-tongues of the other member, a wedge adapted to engage saidbolts to advance the same as the locking-slide is retracted, springs 70It for retracting said bolts, and a rotating cam-piece 9 adapted toreciprocate said locking-slide.

3. In a mechanical coupling, the combinationwith the two members adaptedto abut against each other end to end, of a recessed locking-tonguecarried by one member and adapted to be extended longitudinally therein,a spring tending to hold said tongue in its retracted position, theother member having a socket adapted to receive said tongue, alocking-slide in the socketed member having apart adapted to engage saidlocking-tongue, and a cam adapted to retract said lockingslide to drawsaid tongue farther into the socket against the tension of its spring.

a. The combination with the two members a b, of a U-shaped bar mountedin one of said members having recessed ends 0 0 projecting from the endof said member to form locking-tongues, said bar being adapted to slidelongitudinally, whereby said tongues may be extended, a spring arrangedto hold said bar yieldingly in a retracted position,

the other member having sockets adapted to.

receive said locking-tongues, a locking-slide arranged to movelongitudinally in the socketed member, said locking slide carrying boltsadapted to engage the recessed portions of the locking-tongues of theother member, means for advancing the bolts to engage said tongues asthe locking-slide is retracted, and a rotating cam-piece 9 adapted toreciprocate said locking slide, whereby said lockingtongues are drawninto the sockets against the tension of said spring and the two memberstightly held together.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 2d day of May, A.D. 1903.

HYPPOLITE BOUSSEMAERE. Witnesses:

GEORGE P. BARTON, FRANK H. WARREN.

